Hmm, I guess near the low-medium end of the range, then? I have no idea of how much I would have to pay to get something decent. And also have no idea of where in Kyoto, was going to take the train there!

You might want to do some research first on Kyoto--which areas you might want to be, maximum price per person, how much traveling you're willing to do in the city, etc. before asking for advice. It will be easier to give advice based on your wants and needs, rather than just to throw names of places out.

Sorry for not being more specific--I'm posting from a hostel in Tokyo and don't have a lot of internet time.

Basically I am hoping to go to Kyoto in a few days. My goal is to "see" Kyoto, but I only will be there for 2 days so don't have much time so I guess I'd like to be central. Unfortunately I haven't had time to do much research, nor do I think I will get to do much research before I go, which is a bummer, but going with no research is still probably better than not going.

I'd like to find a traditional Ryokan to stay in that isn't too expensive. I realize that with such short notice, this may be hard to find.

As food is my priority, generally, I'd love to get recommendations based on that. Any recommendations for a good ryokan dinner? Since I haven't planned, I'd plan around the recommendations. Sorry I can't be more specific!!

Here's a small list of ryokans in central Kyoto through Rakuten travel's English page. You may be able to book straight through Rakuten, but I've never tried them. http://web.travel.rakuten.co.jp/porta...

And here's a search page from Jalan.net, which is like a Hotels.com for Japan. If you can get someone to read this for you, you get a lot more information than is provided on the English Rakuten site: http://www.jalan.net/uw/uwp1400/uww14...

You should be aware that ryokan pricing (or hotel pricing in Japan in general) is based on each person, and not based on the room charge. That is, a rate quoted is usually the rate for each person in a double (or triple, etc.) occupancy. The prices on the Jalan.net list are all priced for double occupancy, for example, with a price per person indicated.

You haven't specified how many people are in your party. Nor have you specified a budget. Most rates including dinner and breakfast hover around 16-20K, and goes up with better quality meal plans, and cost less for more basic meal plans. Note also that those who reserve the better meal plans get the better rooms at most ryokans.

I've stayed at Nissho-Besso with very good results. We chose one of the high-end plans, so we got nice rooms and very good service. Looks like they're featuring hamo (conger eel) in one of their special kaiseki plans.

Sounds like i'm too late to help out here (unless you ended up staying in Tokyo for quite a long time)...

But i think you'd be best off separating your dining choices from your lodging choices in Kyoto...if you have an unlimited budget and want to stay in very high-end ryokan (w/ onsen and elaborate meals) there are many (absurdly) expensive options...

but if you want to stay in a decent traditional place and dine well and not spend hundreds and hundreds per night, i'd say: find a well-reviewed but modest ryokan to sleep in and dine elsewhere...if you stay at a ryokan in order to enjoy a high end meal, you're going to end up paying extra for lodging too...plus, if you are new to the city, you'll probably want to be out and about anyway, seeing the city, not in your ryokan, where you've already had Japanese breakfast...